View full sizeThis home at 304 Sasser Rd. in Eight Mile, pictured Friday, was the scene of a murder-suicide on Thursday night, according to Prichard police. An unidentified man and his girlfriend died as a result of knife wounds, and the altercation happened in front of the man's two young children, police said. (Michael Dumas/Press-Register)

EIGHT MILE, Alabama -- A man and woman are dead as a result of a murder-suicide in a residence in the 300 block of Sasser Road, according to Prichard Police Chief Jimmie Gardner.

Speaking from the scene this morning, Gardner said the unidentified man and his girlfriend died Thursday evening. He confirmed that a knife was the weapon used, and that the crime was witnessed by the man's children, ages 6 and 7.

He said that though the case is still under investigation, preliminary findings are that the children went to sleep after witnessing the altercation and alerted a neighbor this morning. The house is at 304 Sasser Road.

Curtis Loveless, who lives two houses down from the crime scene, said the victim's son knocked on his door around 7 a.m. today saying he needed to go to school. Loveless said he walked the child back to the home, where he discovered the man's body in the kitchen, lying face down in "gore, black blood." At that time the victim's daughter emerged from an adjacent room. Loveless led the children outside and called 911, and waited for police to arrive, he said.

Loveless said neither child appeared to be injured and he saw no weapon inside the home. After police arrived, Loveless said he saw a woman's body lying in "gore" in the living room of the home.

Gardner confirmed that the children are in the care of their mother. No more details are available at this time.

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Updated at 1:18 p.m. to include more information regarding the police investigation and crime scene.